Thursday, 2 June 2016

Trans People Could Face Rape Charges For Not Disclosing Gender History



According to a report made by the media outlet Gay Star News, British transgender people could face charges of rape and sexual assault if they do not disclose their gender history before being intimate with a partner, including acts as innocent as kissing.

The shocking information has come after academics and lawyers met to discuss the current sex laws in the UK, and found that the Sexual Offences Act 2003 has been set up in such a way that it can be used to target transgender people.

The law, which was created to clarify what has been described as a 'confusing array of laws around sexual conduct' states that if you are deceived about the nature of the sex act that you are about to engage in, you are incapable of consent.  This means that any activity that follows can be classified as sexual assault or rape, even if consent is given.

The issue that this law creates is that it leaves it open to interpretation within court as to what you are required to be told before engaging in a sexual act with someone, and can be used to target transgender individuals who have not told their partners about their past and their transition.

Grietje Baars, a senior lecturer in law at City University London, said; 'Judges have twisted the law to fit personal prejudice.  There is much contradiction in their rulings.'

It has also been revealed by a public law barrister, Michelle Brewer, that the Court of Appeal has in the pst heard a case where judges have chosen to interpret the non-disclosure of gender history as lying, and as such a lack of informed consent.

The lawyers who met to discuss these laws have come to the conclusion that they are flawed, and that they can be used to target and harm members of the transgender community.  Whilst they have said that these laws need to be changed the trans community should be aware of them as they stand at the moment.


Amy.
xx
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Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Absolut Vodka's Latest Ad Features Trans Story



Swedish vodka brand Absolut have released a new television advert that features a transgender woman, and has received a broad range of reactions.

The advert is narrated by a man who has attended a concert to meet an old friend of his, Dave.  Instead of meeting Dave, however, he meets Darla, his friend who has now transitioned.

'I turned around and saw Dave.  Only it wasn't the Dave I remembered.  He told me his name was Darla now.  I tried to make an excuse to get away, then she grabbed my hand.  The next thing I know we're running to see the DJ.  Darla knew somebody and suddenly we're back stage drinking Absolut Sea Breezes.'

The rest of the advert follows the two of them as they enjoy their night together and ends with the two of them talking about Darla's personal life and her transition.  At the end the narrator talks about how meeting Darla had changed him.  'She was my friend, the same person, the same heart.  She hadn't changed, I had.'

Whilst the advert has received a great deal of criticism from the anti-LGBT+ community it has also had mixed reviews from within the transgender community itself.

Some are criticising the advert for telling the story not from the perspective of a transgender character, but using the idea of a trans character to tell a story of how great the man is because he accepted his friend despite initially not wanting to do so.

Others have pointed out that the man in the advert only seems to want to spend any time with Darla after she is able to get him backstage using her connections, building the idea that he only accepts her because she's able to do things for him.

Ian Johnson of the LGBT+ marketing firm 'Out Now' spoke out about the advert.  'This advert could have been so much better.  It had a good initial set up but the writing lets it down through being clumsily predictable from the outset.  The really frustrating part here though is that the main point of the narrative ends up as not even being about Darla and her transition - it turns into a story about how impressed the cisgender character feels about himself.

'The Absolut ad is an example where an attempt at natural inclusion has tipped into something way too close to patronising.  10 out of 10 for their inclusion of a trans character but a pretty poor 3 out of 10 overall: for making the 'surprise acceptance' of a trans person the tale ultimately being told in the ad.'

Despite some criticisms many have praised the advert for its trans-inclusion and trying to spread the message that despite what some media and right wing propaganda have made out, transgender people are just regular people.

Helen Belcher of Trans Media Watch has said, 'It's refreshing to see an ad which focuses on someone starting to understand trans issues.  Adverts necessarily have to have simple story lines, so it's not surprising that some people may feel it's unnecessarily stereotypical.  But there are some welcome messages for acceptance and understanding which this ad puts across.'

Whilst the advert seems to have divided a lot of people, there is at least one sentiment that we can all agree on, that despite how you feel the advert comes across, at least it was never made as a joke or to mock the transgender community.  Something that so many other advertisements have done in the past.


Amy.
xx
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Friday, 27 May 2016

The Flash 'Invincible' Review


This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.


Following the dramatic conclusion at the end of the last episode that Zoom had amassed himself an army of evil metahumans to conquer Central City, and the episode's initial battle as Zooms army lay waste to the city 'Invincible' look set to be a big action packed prelude to the season finale, but found itself shifting into a fairly standard episode of The Flash, albeit with a surprise guest star.

Having freshly emerged from the speed force full of power and confidence Barry breezes through Zooms army and takes them out in record time, managing to capture most of them before the first ten minutes of the episode is even over.  Whilst this might be a way of showing how much Barry has improved in both his powers and abilities since being in the speed force it does make Barry appear incredibly overpowered, or his army to woefully terrible.

I can't help but feel that straight away the episode proves to be something of a let-down as it builds this notion of Barry and the team having to face off against an entire army of villains, but instead shifts its focus to the standard formula of the team having to fight one villain who manages to overpower Barry, the team working out a plan to beat them and then locking them up inside the particle accelerator.  

Despite falling back on this old formula and failing to deliver on its big promise 'Invincible' does manage to deliver a fairly strong episode thanks to some great acting from Katie Cassidy as the villainous Earth-2 version of Laurel Lance, the Black Siren, and Danielle Panabaker as someone left traumatised from their time as Zoom's captive.


Having recently lost Laurel Lance over on Arrow it's nice for The Flash to be able to bring her back in this kind of way and create an episode that allows her to play a completely different version of her character.  Like the Earth-2 versions of Caitlin and Cisco Laurel's double is a pretty nasty piece of work and relishes causing havoc for Barry and the rest of the team.

One of the nice things done with Black Siren is that like the comic book version of Laurel she's a metahuman, one who can produce her sonic scream herself without needing to use technology.  It's a nice addition to the mythology of the overall universe that connects nicely to the source material, something that The Flash seems to be doing a lot more this season to great effect.

It was also interesting to get a little bit of a look into the behind the scenes of how Zoom's relationship with Black Siren differs from the other metahumans in his army.  Whilst the others see him in the mask and using his Tony Todd voice Earth-2 Laurel knows who he is, that he's been posing as Jay Garrick and pretending to be a hero.  Black Siren is definitely one of Zoom's lieutenants, just like Vibe, Killer Frost and Deathstorm, so it makes me question whether the others knew he Zoom really was too, or if Laurel was a special case.

If she'd been introduced earlier in the season it could have been an interesting dynamic and relationship to have explored and something that could have revealed some more of Zoom's past and his personality.  Sadly this potentially very interesting element is being introduced one episode before the season finale and as such kind of feels wasted.


The episode chiefly uses Laurel as a way of knocking Barry down a few pegs after he returns from the speed force with too much confidence and a sense of being unbeatable.  I understand that having a force of nature literally tell you that you are destined for greatness and that it's giving you massive power will probably give you a boost in confidence it seemed more like a boost in ego.  Maybe it's just the way that Grant Gustin played these scenes, but Barry came across as more like a dick than anything else.  Thankfully this doesn't last for long as Barry learns that he needs the help of his friends to get him through and help him to not only beat Laurel but the rest of Zoom's army too.

The other stand out performance goes to Panabaker's Caitlin Snow, who plays a very different Caitlin to the one we've seen so far.  Even when she lost Ronnie and when she found out Jay was Zoom she wasn't as hurt and broken as she is in this episode.  Despite not being given a massive amount of screen time she really sells the idea that being around Zoom for so long wasn't like the other times villains have taken her prisoner, that somehow he's affected her on a much deeper level.

'Invincible' is a good episode, and has some great performances in it, but it could have been a lot better if it had focused more on Zoom's army instead of an individual villain, and if they had introduced Black Siren earlier in the season.  As it is it's a competent and well-made episode, but one that feels slightly out of place so close to the finale.


Amy.
xx
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Crazed Preacher Harasses School Children in Transphobic Hate Speech



As the battle for transgender rights increases in America more and more 'Christians' have entered the fight in order to decry equality and demonise victims of transphobic hate in a bid to turn America into a country whose laws are dictated by religious values.

In one of the latest displays of public hate towards the transgender community a transphobic preacher Angela Cummings took to screaming hate and abuse at children outside of Scotia-Glenville High School in New York this Monday.

The woman's crazed rant covered a wide range of subjects, including drug use and Isis, but many of her statements were centred on the LGBT+ community, especially the recent guidance from President Obama on transgender students.

As students tried to make their way home after school the woman screamed at them 'Next year Obama is going to let you men, you young men, use the girl's bathroom!  It's time for you to start homeschooling!'

As school staff tried to get the woman to leave she began shouting about sex in high school bathrooms until police officers intervened and convinced her to move off of private property.  As she left the school she continued to shout abuse at students, calling them 'fools' and 'future wife beaters'.  She went on to describe the country as 'the United States of Sodom and Gomorrah' because of legalising marriage equality, and said that the flag should be flown upside down.


The preacher posted the video on Youtube, laughingly entitled 'Scotia New York High School ... Angry Vice Principal ... Loving Street Preacher'.

It's amazing how a woman who is screaming abusive messages at teenagers, at children, who calls them fools, drug addicts and future wife beaters, who makes allusions to sexual misconduct and violence feels that she is the one being loving.

She is calling for the rights and freedoms of the oppressed to be taken away because she has a deep rooted belief that a deity may not like it based on the words in a book written hundreds of years ago and says that it is coming from a place of love.  She is using her right of freedom of speech to argue that others should not have rights and believes that to be acceptable behaviour.

This woman is not a Christian.  She is a 'Christian', someone who uses religion as a mask for their hatred and bigotry.  Someone who wants to feel superior to others.  Someone who feels good because there are people worse off in the world than she is.  Those are not Christian values, that is not how a true Christian would act.

Religion is supposed to encourage love and understanding, it's supposed to bring people together and create harmony, but whilst extremists like this woman (and the other 'Christians' who have been doing the same) exist it hurts everyone.  It makes true Christians look guilty of the same kind of hate by association, and it hurts those in vulnerable positions, such as transgender people.

True Christians need to stand up and call out these bigots for the frauds they are.  They need to tell them that enough is enough and if they want to go on believing these things and acting this way then they have to stop calling themselves Christians.

Angela Cummings is saying that America is supposed to be a great country, one with freedoms and values, but it's people like her to prevent America from actually being that.  She is the type of person that is destroying not only that country, but all countries.  As long as people can hide behind their beliefs to spread hate and fear we all suffer, even those not within those communities.  If people continue on along this road, if they let intolerance and hatred rule in the name of religion then one day people will look back on us and talk about the second religious dark age.


Amy.
xx
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Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Valve Faces Transgender Discrimination Lawsuit



The video game company Valve is facing a potential lawsuit for $3 million following a former employee alleging that they were discriminated against due to their transgender status.

Valve is one of the biggest names in the video game industry and is responsible for hits such as Half-Life, Team Fortress, Counter Strike and Portal as well as the digital distribution platform Steam.

The former employee, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked as a translator for the company, translating their games and software into Spanish.  She worked for the company without incident for many years until 2012 when she informed her bosses of her intentions to transition.

Although the translators needs were initially met, she says that when she took a leave of absence from work to recover from surgery her contract was altered to reclassify her as an independant contractor.

Her employment with Valve was terminated in January 2016 after she filed a complaint with her employers describing a 'hostile work environment'.  The lawsuit alleges that whilst she was terminated for the workplace issue it also claims that the 'Plaintiff was terminated due to her transgender status.'

'While Defendants accommodated her at first, her direct supervisor referred to her in a derogatory fashion.  He referred to Plaintiff as 'it' - which is highly offensive to a transgender person.  The term 'it' dehumanises transgender persons and the usage of such a term [by the supervisor] shows that he was biased against her and shows that her transgender status was another reason he decided to terminate her.  The real reasons for termination are unlawful.'

The lawsuit is claiming that the unlawful termination has had knock on effects on the trans woman, resulting in 'actual, consequential and incidental financial' loss, as well as leaving her with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It is being reported that she is suing the company for '$1 million for general damages, $1 million for special damages, $1 million for loss of earnings and $150,000 for unpaid wages'.

Valve have filed a response this week, denying all allegations, and has called for the case to be dismissed.


Amy.
xx
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Ken Bayliss - In Loving Memory



I've put off writing about this, not wanting to have to face what has happened during the last week, but I feel that people should hear a little about a man I knew, Ken Bayliss, who sadly passed away last week, even if they did not know him themselves.

Ken Bayliss was the father of one of the people I live with, and the father-in-law of the other.  Just over a year ago my life was shattered and I was taken in by my friends who wanted to help me through those tough times.  That's all that Ken knew about me when he first met me, that I was suddenly living with his family.

Where most people would quiz me over who I was, why I was living with his family and so forth Ken greeted me with kindness and compassion the very first time I met him.  That very same day he and his wife invited me to the wedding of their eldest son.  At the time I was surprised by this, I was taken aback by how welcoming and warm he was to a complete stranger.

The more I got to know Ken the more I discovered that this wasn't unusual for him.  Ken was an incredibly kind and caring man, one who took the time to get to know people and find something to like about them.

I think this must have stemmed from his time as a teacher, and later a headmaster, where he took on one of the toughest jobs, teaching children.   It's a job that I could never do, not having the patience or temperament to be able to work with children, it takes a special kind of person to do that.  One that has patience and understanding, one that has compassion and empathy, one who can find the best in people even when they can't find it themselves.

Ken was able to do all of that.  The messages that have flooded in since his passing have shown that.  There are so many people who, like me, were shown compassion and caring from someone who had no need to, but because he was a decent person.  Young people who had lost their way or needed a guiding hand in life found what they needed in Ken.  He was beloved by his former students and his staff alike, and his loss has touched them all.

That's what I will remember about Ken the most, the amount caring and compassion he gave to everyone, and how they loved him for that.

His family meant the world to him, and he gave everything for them.  His beautiful wife, his two loving sons, his two daughter-in-laws who gained a second father, his amazing new grandson, his loving and doting dog Myla.  He loved them all so deeply.  I didn't know him for long, but he always seemed the happiest around his family, especially his grandson, who meant the absolute world to him.  The last memory I have of Ken is surrounded by his family, happy and loved.

Ken was a special man, one who has left a hole in the world where he once was.  He taught and helped dozens of people throughout his life and helped them to become the people they would grow up into.  He made everyone feel welcome and cared for.  Most importantly, though, he built an amazing family.

Ken may be gone now, but his love and his compassion lives on through his family.  They are his greatest achievement and through them he will continue on in their hearts and their memories.

I wish I had known you more Ken Bayliss, but I already think my life was improved for having known you for the time I did.  Rest in peace Ken.


Amy.
xx
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Monday, 23 May 2016

Man Charged With Raping His Trans Step-Daughter



A man in Australia has been charged with rape and incest after Victoria County Court heard evidence that he sexually abused his transgender step-daughter over the course of thirteen years.

The man began the prolonged period of rape in 2002 shortly after his then 19 year-old step-daughter had undergone gender realignment surgery.  The court heard that the man would repeatedly rape his step-daughter when her mother was out of the house and at church, reportedly assaulting her three or four times a week.

The victim told the court that the first time he assaulted her he told her 'I just can't help myself, you've become such a beautiful woman.'  She went on to outline that he even told her 'I know you've wanted this since your operation' before forcing himself on her.

The prosecutor John Livitsanos told the court that the man threatened to financially destroy the woman's mother if she ever tried to reveal what he was doing.  'He would tell the complainant she was his second wife and she should be happy because not many men would want to be with a woman like her - referring to the fact that she was transgender.'

The abuse only came to an end last year when the victim was able to record his abuse on her iPad, which was used as evidence in court.  When the man discovered the plan to record him it led to an altercation that left the woman beaten and bruised, though he was arrested later that day.

It is also being reported that when his wife discovered what was happening he screamed at her, stating 'Your daughter wants it.  She wants me to fuck her.'

The court proceedings are still currently ongoing.


Amy.
xx
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Sunday, 22 May 2016

Legends of Tomorrow 'Destiny' Review


This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.


Well, 'Destiny' may just be the best episode of Legends of Tomorrow yet.  It looks like the last four episodes of the season are shaping up to be the very peak of the show (assuming the season finale can keep up the quality) and this episode delivers on a lot of levels.

The episode opens with the team in the worst position they've been in yet, with Vandal Savage freed by the Time Masters and travelling back through time with Kendra and Carter as his prisoners, Jax back in 2016 and Stein dying, Mick about to be brainwashed into being Chronos again and the rest of the team held prisoner.  It's one of the darkest places our heroes have found themselves, which leads to all of them getting to step up and prove just why they're heroes.  Even Captain Cold and Heatwave.  Especially Captain Cold and Heatwave.

When the show started the two of them were definitely the odd choices for Rip to bring along with him, and I and many other viewers found the choice of their inclusion on the team to be a strange one.  After just a few weeks though they proved that they did have a place and a lot to offer, but it's here that we see that they're not just valuable members of the team but true heroes.

Whilst everyone (other than Carter and Kendra) have the chance to show that they're heroes it's definitely Mick and Leonard's episode this week.  First of all Mick is willing to sacrifice himself instead of letting Ray die in order to save the rest of the team.  It's a big moment for him, and goes to show just how far the character has come in just a handful of episodes, especially since his time as Chronos.

Fortunately for Mick, but not so much for the audience, Leonard isn't prepared to lose his best friend.  Making up for his earlier betrayal in the season he knocks Mick unconscious and takes his place arming the bomb.  As the scene progresses I'm sure I wasn't the only one hoping that he'd find a way out of his predicament, but sadly it wasn't to be and Captain Cold, the show stealing criminal turned hero, gives his life to stop the Time Masters and free his friends from their control.

Out of all the cast the loss of Cold is probably the one that hurt the most, I know he was the one cast member I really wanted to stick around, and that goes a long way to show both the level of charm and acting that Wentworth Miller brought to the role and the strength of the writing.  And yes, the writers went and stole an iconic line from last years 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' as his dying words are 'There are no strings on me', but boy did they deliver a gut punch as he sacrificed everything for the greater good.


Captain Cold was the best thing that this show had, his presence and his character growth kept me interested during the start of the season when the show was still trying to find its feet.  The loss of his presence will definitely be felt, but thankfully the show has developed some of its other characters to the point where his loss won't be as crippling as it would have been half a dozen episodes before.

Jax also gets a chance to show just how good of a character has been hiding beneath the surface and how far he has come since the first episode as he travels back to before the team left 2016 to enlist the help of the younger version of Professor Stein to help him find a way back to Vanishing Point and the rest of the team.

Whilst the changes in Mick and Leonard were quite apparent it wasn't until I saw Jax meet up with the episode one version of Stein that I realised just how much the two of them had changed over the course of the season too.  Not only has Jax used his mechanical skills to learn about the technology aboard the Waverider and increase his scientific knowhow, but he's much more comfortable and confident in both his role as a hero and his relationship with Stein.

The fact that Stein goes into the events of the first episode knowing that he and Jax are destined to board the Waverider does change a few moments of that first episode as it seems to shed Stein's actions into a new light.  Whilst initially his choice to drug Jax and take him aboard the ship seemed out of character and something of a horrible thing to do we now know that Stein knew he had to get Jax to go on the mission in order to keep events on track.


The revelation that the Time Masters have been manipulating all of the events of the season came as something of a surprise.  Whilst many fans anticipated them being slightly more villainous than they first appeared this goes from making some less than moral choices to full on villainous.  Learning that everything that he knew about the Time Masters is sure to have an effect on Rip going forward and will hopefully change his character going into season two, hopefully to the point where he's  going to be rebuilding the idea of the Time Masters himself and doing things the right way.

Even though he had limited screen time Savage performed brilliantly in this episode as he returned to 2166 and murders Rips wife and son.  It's something that we saw in the very first episode, but the fact that we're seeing it again and Kendra and Carter are there must mean that this is now unstoppable, that because it's happened relative for Rip and the team they no longer have a chance of stopping it.

We've seen this scene before in the first episode, and the characters have spoken about it so often over the course of the whole show that it would have been easy for the scene to feel dull and overused, but perhaps because we've come to care for Rip and his loss so much that the scene becomes hard to watch and definitely cements Savage as a character to hate.

'Destiny' manages to keep the drama, action and character development going to produce what I believe to be on of the strongest episodes of the season, full of twists and turns, visual flare and even heartbreak. Hopefully the show will continue to keep this standard for the season finale and going into the second season.


Amy.
xx
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Target CEO Speaks Out About Bathroom Backlash



The CEO of Target, Brian Cornell, has spoken out about the company's stand of transgender bathroom issues and the backlash they have received from Christian extremists.

Cornell has reaffirmed the company's stance on allowing trans people to use the facilities that best match their gender identity, saying that they would not back down despite threats of boycotts and protests within their stores.

During a television interview Cornell said that Target has had a long history of embracing diversity and inclusion.

'We took a stance.'  He said.  'We're going to continue to embrace our belief in diversity and inclusion, just how important that is to our company.  But we're also going to make sure our focus on safety is unwavering.  We want to make sure we provide a welcoming environment for all our guests.  One that is safe and is comfortable.'

He that the current backlash reminds him of the the criticism that Target received in the 1960's when they made the choice to feature black models in their advertisements.

'Back then, it wasn't well received.  We had a lot of tough feedback.  But sitting here today, we know we made the right decision.'

Despite the fact that Target has always had the policy of trans inclusion in place across all of its stores the issue only came about in mid-April when the company posted a statement about their bathrooms and changing rooms being open to transgender people following a number of enquiries about their bathroom policy following the introduction of HB2 in North Carolina.

The discovery that Target is inclusive of trans people ha resulted in the radical Christian extremists to call for a boycott of the retail chain in an Online petition that has already reached over 1 million signatures.  Some members for the Christian community have even taken to roaming around Target stores verbally abusing both staff and shoppers whilst quoting bible verse.

Thankfully Target are standing by their policy and refusing to back down in the face of terrorist actions, and have even gone on to encourage other chains such as Toys'R'Us and Barnes & Noble to adopt similar positions.


Amy.
xx
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Lesbian Couple Awarded $80,000 After Being Arrested For Kissing



A lesbian couple have been awarded a settlement of $80,000 to settle a lawsuit after they were wrongfully arrested by a police officer who was opposed to them kissing in public.

Courtney Wilson and Taylor Guerrero were holidaying in Honolulu, Hawaii last year when police officer Bobby Harrison arrested them for showing affection towards each other whilst out shopping.  Whilst shopping at Foodland the officer saw the two of them holding hands and kissing, an act of consensual contact, and loudly told the two of them to 'take it somewhere else'.

Later officer Harrison witnessed the two of them kissing and threatened to throw the two of them out of the store.

'We were holding hands and I was kissing her cheek.  He was like 'you girls, you girls can't do that in here'.'  Guerrero said when talking about the incident.  The two of them then attempted to pay for their shopping before leaving the store, but were approached by Harrison yet again.

According to the lawsuit filed by the couple Harrison grabbed hold of Wilson's wrist whilst they were attempting to make their purchase.  Wilson took out her mobile phone and attempted to call emergency services, which led to the three of them getting into a physical altercation.

Harrison charged them both with felony assault on an officer and arrested both of them, despite the fact that they were trying to defend themselves against him.  The two of them were jailed for three days, but the charges were later dropped.

An investigation against officer Harrison was launched after the couple filed their lawsuit, but he was not charged with any wrongdoing.  Police spokesperson Michelle Yu issued a statement on the matter, saying 'The internal investigation was completed, and the allegations were not substantiated.'

Wilson and Guerrero, whose relationship has ended since the incident, have said that they plan to use the settlement to pay for their legal fees before splitting the remainder between the two of them.


Amy.
xx
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